We Visited Inka Fé – Restaurant Review
This post is a sum up of our visit to Inka Fé, a Peruvian bakery in Great Neck, Long Island
“Caigua Rellena”
Caigua, stuffed with beef, and veggies, served over rice.
“Anticuchos”
Beef heart skewers, marinated in spices and in a Peruvian pepper paste, served with potatoes/corn with a spicy sauce.
“Seco de Mariscos”
“Seco de Mariscos”, is a creamy stew with some seafood, great aroma, and texture in one quick dish.
“Lasagna de Ají de Gallina”
Ají de Gallina (Creamy spicy hen stew) turned into a Lasagna
“Pollo a la Brasa”
Peruvian blackened chicken, rotisserie chicken, one of the most iconic Peruvian dishes.
“Causa Escabechada”
Causa Escabechada, Spicy Sour Potato dough, served with Fish Escabeche on top
“Chupe de Camarones”
Chupe de Camarones, Peruvian style shrimp soup, has a thick texture, has some sweet, spicy, flavors.
“Kam Lu Wantan”
Chifa dish, saute meats and veggies served with a sweet-sour tamarind sauce and wontons.
¿En otro idioma? – Different lang?
Escabeche de Pescado – Fish Escabeche
Escabeche is a dish that is made in a variety of countries, some of them are served hot others cold, it has different meanings, I saw that Escabeche can refer to a soup, a stir fry, raw seafood dish. In Peru we call Escabeche to a quick stew, it can be served as an Entreé or Main Dish. its prominent flavors are Spicy, Acid with a touch of sweetness, it is usually served hot and traditionally served with fish nevertheless it can be made with any meat.
I love using fish since it has a soft texture that melts in your mouth and goes well with acid, sweet and spicy flavors.
here are some “interesting facts” about me, I am from the coast of Peru (Lima), however, I have never been a fan of fish. My mother and grandmother cooked fish with small bones(tiny and cristal clear that I could barely see them), as a result, I choked more than once and I ended hating fish. when I got into cooking I learned more about food in general and tried to be more adventurous whit what I eat.
My point here is that there might be some people that do not like fish, maybe is the smell, texture or that fear that choke while eating, for you folks my advice is to go to a nice restaurant, ask what kind of fish dishes they have on the menu and try a couple of them in different restaurants, There are amazing dishes with Fish and there is a tiny chance you change your mind about fish.
it is a great protein, it has omega 3 that is essential for the body and it can taste delicious if cooked properly.
"Escabeche de Pescado"
Equipment
- Pot
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp Vegetable Oil
- 4 pieces Fish
- 1 cup All-purpose flour
- 2 Red Onions (Wedged)
- 1 Garlic Clove
- 1 Bell Pepper
- 4 "Ají Amarillos" or Jalapeño Pepper (into strips)
- 3 tbsp Ají Panca Paste (into strips)
- 1 tbsp Smoked Paprika
- 1 tsp Cumin
- 1 tbsp Sugar
- 1/4 cup Vinegar
- 1 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 2 tbsp Chopped Cilantro
- 1 bayleaf
- 1 tbsp Oregano
- 1 tbsp Potato or Corn Starch
- Salt & Pepper
Serve with
- 4 Cooked Sweet Potatoes
- 2 Hard-Boiled Eggs (halved)
- 4 Kalamata Olives (halved)
Instructions
- Salt & Pepper the fish, then flour it, Pat fry it then reserve it.
- In the same Pan/pot add Onions, Garlic, "Ají Amarillo", "Ají Panca Paste" let it cook until onions are tender (at low/medium heat)
- Once onions are soft add Bell Pepper, Spices, Aromatics, Vinegar, Sugar, Soy Sauce, bring to a boil turn the heat to low.
- Add Fish then the potato starch diluted in water bring to a boil, adjust seasoning serve with chopped cilantro, hardboiled eggs, sweet potatoes, and olives.
Ingredients are really easy to get, If you can not get “Ají Amarillo” you can replace it with Any Chili or Pepper you have on hand.
Use your favorite Fish, I lived on the coast of Peru, so I always could get fresh Fish. When I came to the USA, things were a little different, getting fresh fish was kind hard to get especially if you live in a “remote” area, so I decided to go for “frozen fish”, for someone that has eaten fresh fish his whole life it is kind of an awful experience, flavor is there but is weak, to be honest, it just tastes like a different animal. Good news is that we use a variety of spices and aromatics on this dish that can make frozen fish taste a bit better(just a bit)
Patience is the key to cooking, especially if you are cooking a dish for the first time. There is a time for everything, rush your prep, get everything set up, however, let your ingredients cook properly.
This dish might look kind of tricky but is really easy to prepare if you have your ingredients on hand, as I mentioned it requires a bit of patience.
I love Escabeche, is one of those dishes that are worth trying, the balance of sweet, acid and spiciness makes this one of the most delicious you will ever try.
What do think about this dish? and How is Escabeche Prepared in your country?
0 Comments
Trackbacks/Pingbacks